American

You know those days when you can’t decide if you want to grill sausage or burgers? Problem solved.

Like a glorified, oversized blueberry muffin. Earn extra points by using Maine’s wild blueberries and offering vanilla ice cream on the side.

The whole point of a crab roll is the crab—get the best you can find, and don’t mess with it too much. And, that bun: It has to be split top.

Buy perky, energetic lobsters; they should be active and extend their claws upwards when lifted.

Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama, is credited with introducing this mayo-based barbecue sauce to the world. Our recipe is loosely based on the version chef Sean Brock serves at his restaurant Husk in Charleston, South Carolina.

The cooks at Diner, in Brooklyn, change up burger toppings according to the season: lettuce and pickled onions in winter months; sliced tomato and housemade bread-and-butter pickles in the summer.

Liquid from the grated corn enriches and helps thicken the grits; fresh corn added at the end makes for nice bites.

This dressing is equally good drizzled over hard-boiled eggs or with crudité for dipping.

To check if your meringue is stiff, lift the beaters out of the bowl and upend them: The peaks should stick straight up.

Try a combination of strawberries and rhubarb in this buckle-inspired breakfast cake.

A great Mexican hot sauce like Valentina or Cholula strikes a perfect balance of flavor and heat.

Buttermilk brings slight tang and moisture to the batter, while olive oil offers fruity richness. Choose a mild-flavored (not too peppery) type of oil for these waffles.

These buns can be assembled the night before, needing only a final rise before baking. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.

The only chocolate sheet cake you need is a Texas chocolate sheet cake. This recipe is from one of our readers.

Layering the chips and fillings is key for an optimal cheese-to-crunch ratio.

Clams are inexpensive, plentiful, easy to cook, and delicious. And you barely need a recipe—once they open, they’re done.

“The contrast of tender radish and crisp bacon is even better with a little cider vinegar.” –Brad Leone, test kitchen manager

Overcooked lobsters will be tough and rubbery; if yours are less than 1½ pounds each, decrease the cooking time by a few minutes.

If you decide to make this best jambalaya recipe out in the wild, pack the perishables in a cooler.

We love the combination of gently cooked and raw strawberries in this not-too-sweet version of the classic dessert.

No disrespect to the frozen tots these are based on, but making your own is way more fun than opening a bag (and they taste better, too).

Like a cinnamon-sugar doughnut in muffin form. You’ve been warned.

If you decide to make this out in the wild, pack the perishables in a cooler.